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Some African Americans had mixed memories of Colin Powell's legacy

Colin Powell was a great American leader. He was the chairman of Joint Chiefs, secretary of state, and national security adviser. His legacy as the first Black person to hold these positions is less clear. Some African Americans feel that his voice for them could have been stronger.

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Some African Americans had mixed memories of Colin Powell's legacy

Powell, who was killed Monday by COVID-19 complications after a 35-year career in the Army, rose to political prominence during Republican presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. There was persistent speculation about his stature that he would run for president as a Republican.

Powell was never comfortable speaking about race throughout it all, according to Kevin Powell, a New York-based writer, rights activist, and not related to Colin Powell.

"I believe that's why many Black people never saw him as leader," said Kevin Powell. Kevin Powell met Colin Powell in the 1990s when he was frequently mentioned as a possible presidential candidate.

He was measured when he spoke about race. Howard University commencement speech 1994: "Racism can be cured by standing up for yourself and your commitment to excellence, performance, and taking advantage of the opportunities and rights that come with them."

According to Kevin Powell, who is also Black, Powell was "largely invisible" in many of the events that occurred after George W. Bush's departure. It was obvious that the party he belonged to was moving in the right direction. He didn't say that this party was anything more than race-mongers.

Powell became disillusioned with the GOP and began to support Democrats, beginning with Barack Obama. He called President Donald Trump a national scandal and stated that he no longer considers himself to be a Republican after the Jan. 6 storming at the Capitol.

According to Sam Riddle (an Army veteran and Detroit-based activist), Powell's dignity, composure, and calm should not be taken as an indication that he does not understand the struggle of his people.

Riddle, who hosts a Detroit talk-radio show, said that Riddle "embodied a quiet inner strength we knew he held onto the battlefield for America as well as for Black Americans." "Quiet competency, integrity, and perseverance are all possible bullhorns that we can use."

Powell was concerned about the U.S. incarceration rate, which is consistently the highest in the globe. He supported policies that would keep young people, particularly Black Americans, out the criminal justice system.

Powell stated that he wasn't in favor of cutting law enforcement budgets in order to reduce police brutality. This was years before the murder of George Floyd. He believed that many Black Americans would agree.

A June 2020 poll by The Associated Press -NORC Center for Public Affairs Research at the height of the summer's protests against police brutality showed that 43% of Black Americans supported or somewhat supported reducing funding for police, while 30% were opposed to the idea.

In 2017, Powell stated that it was impossible to say "We should disinvest criminal justice, police, and courts." They're not there to protect white people. They are there to protect Black people as well.

He said, "If you tell a Black leader in a community that the police won't be there, they might say, "Whoa!" They want fair and balanced justice for all Americans.

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